PTI comes under attack?

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Lahore Woman Wing’s President Neelam Ashraf’s son was killed in the Nishter Colony police are, while a leader of the same political party was also gunned down along with his three bodyguards and a passer-by on the outskirts of the city.In the first incident, the deceased was identified as Numan Ashraf, a resident of Nishter Colony area. Police said that a bullet-riddled body was found inside a car near the Ring Road. Police said that it initially seemed to be a suicide case because a pistol and other valuables also found near the body. They said that the actual case of death would be ascertained after a post-mortem report.Police have also arrested three persons – the deceased’s friend Waris, his father Abdul Rahid and brother Amanat – on the complaint of Neelam Ashraf. Police said that the complainant told the police that her son had told her that he was going to Waris’ house.According to Model Town SP Tariq Aziz, there was no substantiate evidence to call it a murder, and that it could be a resistance-during-a-robbery case. He said that the victim was going back home when he was apparently shot dead. He said that the weapon had been recovered, but further investigation was underway.Meanwhile, PTI ticket holder from PP-176 Maqsood Ahmed Bhatti, his three personal guards and a passer-by were reportedly gunned down by unidentified assailants near the Kasur toll plaza on Saturday evening.According to a private television channel, initial inquiry suggested that Bhatti was murdered over a personal enmity. Police, however, said that details of the case would be revealed after a thorough investigation.The channel quoted the Kasur DPO as saying that unidentified gunmen opened fire on the PTI leader’s car, who was travelling with his three personal guards, near the Liliani toll plaza. All four were killed on the spot, he added.A passer-by, who was injured by the sporadic firing, later succumbed to his wounds as well. The bodies were moved to the Jinnah Hospital for post-mortem.The investigation officer said that the killing was apparently a result of personal enmity.PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry, General Secretary Dr Yasmin Rashid and Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas expressed grieved and sorrow over the killings.Commenting on the killing of Numan Ashraf, Imran Khan said that the murder of this young boy was highly condemnable. He said that the PTI women leader had already lost her husband a few years earlier, and now her son had been taken away. He said that this murder in broad daylight was an example of how unsafe the city of Lahore had become, where all types of murderers and killings were taking place with no action by the government.PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry also said that the shooting on the car of this young man was highly condemnable. He demanded an immediate investigation into the incident to catch the murderers. Dr Yasmin said that nobody was safe either on the streets or in his home, and that many tragic incidents had been taking place every day, ruining many families. She said that it was a double tragedy, as Neelum Ashraf’s son was getting married on February 14, and the entire family was getting together for a happy occasion, but it turned into a tragedy. Andleeb Abbas demanded that the government should provide protection to Neelum Ashraf, as she was a widow and without her son she too was now exposed to danger.